Tom Lantos

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to my dear friends, Victoria and Joseph Cotchett of Hillsborough, California. These two extraordinary people are being honored for their civic involvement in the Bay Area by the Volunteer Center of San Mateo County with the prestigious ``Very Important Volunteer Award'' (VIVA). Mr. Speaker, both Cotchett's are deeply involved in a wide spectrum of community activities and give freely of their time and resources to numerous community organizations. Victoria serves on the advisory board of many woman's groups, including the Woman's Protective Services of San Mateo County and Families in Transition. She is a founding director of the Wiegand Museum of Art at the College of Notre Dame in Belmont, and she previously served on the boards of the San Mateo County Hospital Foundation and the Peninsula Humane Society. As a longtime supporter of the arts, Victoria is a member of the Board of Directors of the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts here in Washington, DC, and she is currently leading an effort to develop a Children's Film Festival in association with the Sundance Film Festival. A former Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, a JAG Officer, and a former Special Forces paratrooper officer, Joe Cotchett is a graduate of California Polytechnic College. He earned his law degree from the University of California's Hastings College of Law. Joe was recognized as one of the ``100 Most Influential Lawyer in America,'' by the news media and in 1990 was named Trial Lawyer of the Year by Trial Lawyers for Public Justice. He is a leader of numerous professional organizations, is the author of several books on legal practice, and is a past officer of the California State Bar. Mr. Speaker, Joe's record of commitment to our community is equally as distinguished as that of his wife. He is director of the Bay Meadows Foundation, Disability Rights Advocates, and a Commissioner on the State Parks Commission. He also serves as Director of the University of California's Hastings College of Law, President of the San Mateo Boys and Girls Club, and Chairman of the Heart Fund Finance for the San Mateo County Heart Association. Mr. Speaker, Victoria and Joe are proud parents of two girls and represent the very best of our many volunteer citizens on the Peninsula. I urge my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to these two outstanding community leaders and congratulating them on receiving this prestigious award.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is only befitting the heroic struggle of the outstanding human rights and democracy leader in Burma, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, that I today, on her birthday, introduce H.R. 2211. This bipartisan legislation bans the import of all articles into the United States which were produced, manufactured or grown in Burma. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that similar legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Tom Harkin and Senator Jesse Helms. Together our efforts in introducing the House bill today will close an important loophole in the current sanctions of the United States with regard to Burma. I am taking this strong step in light of the ongoing egregious human rights violations which the Burmese people continue to suffer by the hands of the brutal military regime which now calls itself the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). This legislation, which is already cosponsored by my colleagues Constance Morella of Maryland, Benjamin Gilman of New York, Pete Stark of California, Ileana Ros- Lehtinen of Florida, Nancy Pelosi of California, Christopher Smith of New Jersey, Donald Payne of New Jersey, Dana Rohrabacher of California, Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, Joseph Pitts of Pennsylvania, William Delahunt of Massachusetts, Robert Andrews of New Jersey, Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii, Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, Michael Capuano of Massachusetts, Lane Evans of Illinois, James McGovern of Massachusetts, Sam Farr of California, Albert Wynn of Maryland and Janice Schakowsky of Illinois, sends a strong signal to the Burmese military dictatorship that the United States will no longer allow one of the world's most brutal regimes to reap the benefits of its outrageous practices of forced and child labor, rape and the mass imprisonment of opposition and ethnic minorities leaders. In response to the outrageous and systematic use of forced and child labor, the International Labor Organization (ILO) evoked in June 2000-- for the first time in its 82-year history--an extraordinary constitutional procedure to adopt a resolution which calls on the State Peace and Development Council to take concrete actions to end forced labor in Burma. In an unprecedented step, the ILO recommended that governments, employers, and workers organizations take appropriate measures to ensure that their relations with the SPDC do not abet the system of forced or compulsory labor. In addition, the ILO urges other international bodies to reconsider any cooperation they may engage in with Burma and, if appropriate, cease as soon as possible any activity that could abet the practice of forced or compulsory labor. Mr. Speaker, if we take our responsibilities as the world leader on democracy and human rights seriously, Already in 1997, Congress enacted sanctions and former President Clinton issued an Executive Order in response to the egregious human rights violations in Burma. These measures established the existing prohibition on U.S. private companies making new investments in Burma. The European Union followed suit and imposed economic sanctions on Burma, removing trade preferences, freezing the regime's assets, and issuing a ban on travel visas for the regime's leadership. That the SPDC is not totally insensitive to this kind of pressure became obvious when the military dictatorship surprisingly entered into a secret dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi now almost seven months ago, which unfortunately has not yielded any tangible results. Existing U.S. investment restrictions, while an important step in the right direction, clearly do not go far enough. To everyone's surprise, despite the existing sanctions regime, imports of Burmese articles and goods into the United States grew steadily and are perfectly legal. We have to close this loophole, and our legislation would do that. We keep the pressure on the SPDC. Our conditions for the SPDC have to be absolutely clear and unequivocal: trade with the United States will only be resumed if the military regime allows sustained and measurable progress in the areas of human rights and democracy, and the SPDC must make significant progress in the talks with the only credible person involved in the ongoing secret negotiations, the winner of the overturned 1990 general elections and Noble Peace Prize Winner, Aung San Suu Kyi. The 1999 State Department Human Rights Country Report on Burma cited ``credible reports that Burmese Army soldiers have committed rape, forced porterage, and extrajudicial killing.'' The report further describes arbitrary arrests and the detention of at least 1300 political prisoners. The most recent report by the State Department for the year 2000 finds that ``The Government's extremely poor human rights record and longstanding severe repression of its citizens continued during the year. Citizens continued to live subject at any time and without appeal to the arbitrary and sometimes brutal dictates of the military regime. Citizens did not have the right to change their government. There continued to be credible reports, particularly in ethnic minority areas, that security forces committed serious human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings and rape. Disappearances continued, and members of the security forces tortured, beat, and otherwise abused prisoners and detainees. Prison conditions remained harsh and life threatening, but have improved slightly in some prisons after the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was allowed access to prisons in May 1999. Arbitrary arrest and detention for expression of dissenting political views continued to be a common practice. The Government held Aung San Suu Kyi incommunicado twice in September, following attempts to travel beyond the bounds of Rangoon City and to Mandalay. At year's end, the Government continued to hold Aung San Suu Kyi in detention; it also held 48 members-elect of parliament and more than 1,000 NLD supporters under detention, all as part of a government effort to prevent the parliament elected in 1990 from convening. Since 1962 thousands of persons have been arrested, detained, or imprisoned for political reasons; more than 1,800 political prisoners remained imprisoned at year's end.'' In addition, Human Rights Watch reported that children from ethnic minorities are forced to work under inhumane conditions for the Burmese Army, lacking adequate medical care and sometimes dying from beatings. The UN Special Rapporteur on Burma puts the number of child soldiers at 50,000, one of the highest in the world. In addition, a 1998 International Labor Organization Commission of Inquiry determined that forced labor in Burma is practiced in a ``widespread and systematic manner, with total disregard for the human dignity, safety, health and basic needs of the people.'' While current sanctions forbid new U.S. investments in Burma, the current Burmese imports into the U.S. rapidly grow and include apparel articles, fisheries products, gems, and tropical timber. In particular, apparel imports into the U.S. grew by 372 percent, rising from $85.6 million in 1997 to $403.7 million in These imports into the U.S. provide the SPDC with growing hard currency income because they are directly involved in the production process as direct or de facto owners of production facilities in the apparel and textile sector. Mr. Speaker, the United States must stand with the Burmese slave laborers, the exploited children, the imprisoned and raped political opposition members. Passing this important legislation would not only support and strengthen the ILO as a guardian of internationally accepted labor standards, but it would also make clear to the world that the United States will never trade democracy and the respect for human rights for trade benefits and cheap imports. Mr. Speaker, I ask that the text of H. R. 2211 be placed in the record at this point. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this important bill, and I call on the House to speedily adopt this legislation.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 5 minutes to my good friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I have no additional speakers, but I would like to say a few words before we close debate on this issue. I was profoundly disturbed by my colleague's remark who asked why do we deal with this issue? Well, we deal with this issue because, as so many other issues in this century, it is a fundamental issue of human rights. I predict that the issue of human rights will be the dominant issue of the 21st century. Not long ago, we were dealing with hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians being pushed out of their ancestral homes in Kosovo, and there were people on the floor of this body who questioned the relevance of our involvement in trying to see to it that these people, little children, old women, young families, were just pushed out of their home, because of their ethnicity and because of their religion. In that case, it was Muslims who were persecuted by Milosevic and his thugs. In this instance, it is principally Christians who are being persecuted, harassed, raped, killed on a large scale by fundamental lifts Muslims. I cannot think of a more noble cause for the Congress of the United States than to debate these issues and perhaps to try to help in whatever way we can. Now, there are some who are particularly preoccupied with the minutiae and the complexities of our tax legislation. And that is an appropriate subject for us to discuss. But to question on the floor of the House of Representatives the appropriateness of dealing with a genocide, a genocide means the killing of whole peoples. We are talking about the killing of 2 million black citizens of the Sudan, men, women and children, whose sole crime is that they are not Muslims. We are dealing with the displacement of 4 million black citizens of Sudan who are pushed out of their villages and are in many instances on the verge of starvation. To ask whether it is appropriate for the Congress of the United States to deal with these issues boggles the mind. I suggest, Mr. Chairman, that this is an issue of very high priority for this body. It would be high priority only if it would be a human rights issue, but as the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) so correctly pointed out, the Sudanese government is one of the prime sponsors of international terrorism. Is there anybody in this body who does not feel, in the wake of the bombing of American embassies, that international terrorism is not a concern of this body? I want to again commend the people who have played a key role in this measure. I want to encourage all my colleagues to vote for this legislation. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, first of all, I want to thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) for this very important amendment, which I strongly support and urge all of our colleagues to support. This amendment deals with the operation of foreign oil companies in the Sudan. The complicity of the foreign oil industry in this human destruction is one of the most shameful factors in this 17-year-old slaughter. Canadian-owned Talisman Oil Company has publicly admitted that, in the year 2000, its Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company's airstrips were used for offensive military purposes by military aircraft of the government of Sudan against innocent men, women and children who live in the south of the country. We should not allow oil companies that are helping to prolong this bloody slaughter to raise capital or trade securities in the United States. The call for sanctions in this amendment, Mr. Chairman, is consistent with efforts by the American people to send a strong message to oil companies doing business in Sudan. Major public institutional investors, such as the City of New York or the Texas Teachers Pension Fund, have divested themselves from Talisman Oil in protest of its explicit dealings with the Sudanese government. Recently, a European coalition on oil in Sudan was launched, indicating that the campaign has now reached Europe to end the role of oil companies in the ongoing destruction of the Sudanese people. Mr. Chairman, I strongly urge all Members to support this amendment, because it would be shameful to allow foreign oil companies to raise funds which are ultimately used for the genocide of the Sudanese people.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Sudan Peace Act. I first would like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo), for introducing the measure. I want to express my special appreciation to my colleague and friend, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), the ranking Democratic member of the Subcommittee on Africa, for his many years of tireless efforts to bring to the attention of the Congress and the American people the Sudanese crisis. I also want to commend my friends, the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde), for moving this legislation forward and for their deep commitment to the issues. Mr. Chairman, it appears unreal that at the beginning of the 21st century we again are talking about genocide and slavery, but it is genocide and slavery which characterizes the situation in the Sudan. This is a long-standing crisis. It originated in the early 1950s, and it became particularly severe since the mid-1980s. The Islamic government of Sudan is perpetrating genocide on its own people. This crisis represents the most comprehensive attack against Christians any place on the face of this planet today; mass rapes, large scale forced starvation, kidnapping, and, as has been stated time and time again in this debate, we have over 2 million innocent men, women, and children who have been killed in this process, over 4 million internally displaced. This legislation, which I hope will get the unanimous support of this body, calls for our Secretary of State to collect evidence on war crimes and crimes against humanity. It is inconceivable that the perpetrators of these gigantic scale atrocities should escape appropriate punishment. A special word needs to be said, Mr. Chairman, about the oil companies that play a significant coal in this nightmare. I am pleased to say that there are no American oil companies involved, but it pains me to no end to indicate that an oil company from Sweden, an oil company from Canada, and, much less surprisingly, oil companies owned by Malaysia and Communist China, are providing the funds to this outrageous government to pursue and perpetrate its atrocities. We will bring the light of day on the activities of these companies, and we will make it very clear for any potential American investors what the nature of their investments would be buying in atrocities in the Sudan. I truly believe that Congress acts never more nobly than when it rises to deal with human rights abuses anywhere on this planet. The Sudan Peace Act is one such example, and I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I am delighted to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), one of our colleagues who has devoted years of his life to this issue and who has been a nationally recognized leader on the subject of Sudan. (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 145, which was introduced by my friend and colleague from New York (Mr. Engel). This resolution condemns the Taliban regime of Afghanistan for their offensive and inhumane policies towards Hindus and other non-Muslims in Afghanistan, and it demands that the Taliban regime immediately revoke its edict issued on May 23 requiring Afghan Hindus to wear yellow identification badges and for Hindu women to cover themselves in a yellow veil. This latest despicable action of this despicable regime is only the most recent of a long list of horrific human rights and religious freedom abuses committed by the Taliban against their own people. They have shut down schools, restricted education and have systematically discriminated against all women in Afghanistan. Earlier this year, Mr. Speaker, the Taliban sparked international outrage by destroying the ancient Buddhist statues of Bamian. It is no accident that the international terrorist kingpin Osama bin Laden has found welcome haven in the land of the Taliban. If these barbaric actions were not enough, the Taliban has now decided to emulate the most heinous and reviled regime of the 20th century, Hitler's Germany, by forcing Hindus and other non-Muslims to wear yellow identity badges. The edict issued by the Taliban, Mr. Speaker, is reprehensible, and it clearly echoes Nazi German policies stigmatizing Jews and others. We cannot allow the Taliban to systematically oppress Afghan Hindus in such an eerily similar manner. Afghanistan, Mr. Speaker, sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. For centuries, it has been one of the marketplaces of the world where traders of all countries and races and religions came together. This rich history and tradition of tolerance is being dismantled by this dark and brutal regime. The Taliban's actions, Mr. Speaker, are beyond comprehension. At a time when millions of Afghan people are on the edge of starvation and thousands of Afghan children are dying every day of malnutrition, the Taliban are intent on driving away any international support through their offensive and inhumane policies. Just last week, the Taliban expanded their restrictions on foreign aid workers, further limiting their movement and freedom and making it nearly impossible for its humanitarian workers to continue their efforts to bring relief to the people of Afghanistan. One must wonder if the Taliban are trying to commit genocide against their own people. We cannot stand idly by and watch while the Taliban continued their rein of darkness and despair. We cannot countenance their deliberate attempt to undo centuries of civilization. We must find a way to stop this insane regime. If there is one country left on Earth, Mr. Speaker, that seems to have any influence with the Taliban, it is the country of Pakistan. The government of Pakistan has been all too reluctant to use its influence with the Taliban and we are calling on the government of Pakistan to stand with the international community and call a halt to the reprehensible policies of the Taliban regime. I want to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) for introducing this resolution, and I urge all my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 5\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), the author of this resolution.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), an indefatigable fighter across the globe.

Mr. LANTOS. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), a distinguished member of the Committee on International Relations, my friend. (Mr. CROWLEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott), my friend and colleague. (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), my neighbor, friend and colleague, an indefatigable fighter for human rights.

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I again want to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) for bringing this important resolution to our attention. I trust that we will have a unanimous consent vote which would reflect the views not only of the Congress but of the American people that we do not stand for religious discrimination or persecution in any form. I urge all of my colleagues to support the resolution. 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, let me just respond to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Paul). While I am pleased he is supporting the resolution, he needs to gain some historical perspective. It was billions and billions of dollars of Marshall aid which resulted in the rebuilding of Western Europe and in creating our allies in NATO, and providing us with a prosperous Europe as our single most important trading partner. So this melancholy call for isolationism is not supported by the historic evidence. The historic evidence shows clearly that in Republican and Democratic administrations, overwhelmingly United States participation in Europe and elsewhere contributed in a major way toward building democratic and prosperous societies. I was present at the end of the Second World War, as my friend knows, when Europe was in ruins, and it was the farsightedness of a group of Republican and Democratic leaders in this country, from Harry Truman to Senator Vandenberg, who created a framework which allowed the countries of Europe to rebuild themselves to become our powerful NATO allies, our democratic friends, and our most significant trading partners. There is no evidence for the statement that the previous administration directed aid to go to the Taliban. This is an unsubstantiated statement. What we voted for and what I think we will vote again is to provide humanitarian assistance to the destitute people of Afghanistan. It is most unfortunate that the bulk of Afghanistan today is in the hands of this despicable regime. But I think it is important to realize and to be true to historic facts that the bulk of our economic aid since the end of the Second World War has succeeded in creating prosperous and democratic societies ranging from Taiwan to Denmark. These were destroyed societies, poor societies, destitute societies, and American aid was critical in building them up as democratic and prosperous allies.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, when the House considered President Bush's education reform bill last month the rule imposed by the Majority for consideration of that legislation did not permit amendments to be offered to address the urgent need for increased education funding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). As a result, local school districts across our nation will continue to be forced to cut important local programs. Mr. Speaker, as recently as the early 1970's, it was documented that some two million children were receiving no education whatsoever, many because of physical or learning disabilities. In response to this terrible injustice, Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975. Later renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the law guarantees equal educational opportunities for all children. As a result of this legislation, some six million children with disabilities between the ages of three and twenty-one are receiving an education today--children who probably would not have that opportunity without this legislation. Mr. Speaker, Congress pledged itself to fund IDEA at a level providing local schools with 40% of the additional funds required to educate children with special needs. In the 4 years since Congress established this goal, we have failed to appropriate the necessary funds for IDEA. By continuously under-funding IDEA, we are placing unnecessary burdens on local school budgets. It is an outrage that should have been rectified during debate and consideration of the President's education reform bill. Mr. Speaker, underfunding of IDEA has lead to a competition between special education and regular education in virtually every school district in our nation, because local and federal funding available is simply too small to meet the education requirements. In order to fund both special and regular education to the best of their ability, school districts have had to cut critical services from their budgets. Mr. Speaker, the Belmont-Redwood Shores School district, which is located in my congressional district, provides us with an excellent example of the burden which the Congress' failure to fully fund IDEA places on local school districts. The Board of Trustees of the Belmont- Redwood Shores Elementary School District recently met to discuss whether they should give teachers a much needed cost of living raise or cut programs and personnel from elementary schools in the district. The programs and personnel considered for elimination include the elementary school music program, one assistant principal, two custodians, as well as an English as a Second Language teacher. The board also considered cutting a counseling program, cutting back on technology equipment, or not making necessary repairs to audio/visual equipment. Mr. Speaker, these unfortunate and unnecessary budget cuts could have been easily avoided if Congress had simply met its commitment to fully fund IDEA. Providing quality education for all students, including those with disabilities, requires federal assistance to aid states and school districts provide these necessary services. Lack of funding leads school administrators to make decisions that are not in the best interests of students, but decisions dictated by budget considerations. Congress' broken pledge to fully fund IDEA has made schools seek to reduce the number of students classified as special needs or to restrict the services available to all students. The lack of sufficient funding to meet the needs of students with disabilities also places considerable strain on the entire school budget as administrators are forced to increase tax revenue or cut other critical programs in order to provide IDEA services. Mr. Speaker, Congress must follow through on its pledge to support fully special education. I regret the Majority leadership's decision to make local school districts choose between educating children with special needs and eliminating other important school services. The needs of children with disabilities should never be pitted against other important educational needs of our nation's children. I urge my colleagues to join me allowing a complete debate and a vote on the full funding of IDEA.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I want to commend the distinguished gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) for calling this special order on the recent meeting in Vilnius of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. We in the House are indeed well served to by Doug Bereuter's outstanding leadership of the House delegation to the NATO parliamentarian exchanges. He is serious and thoughtful in his leadership, and he has served our nation well through his commitment to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Madam Speaker, in NATO and in the growing European Union we have a powerful group of friends and allies who basically share our values and objectives. We have said during the Cold War--and I personally passionately believe it--that NATO was a defensive military alliance. I believe that today NATO is a defensive alliance. I am completely supportive of NATO enlargement, once the countries which are candidates for membership meet the economic and political criteria that qualify them for membership. The three Baltic countries-- Lithuania, Lativa, and Estonia--are moving rapidly in this direction, and I strongly favor their admission into NATO. Whether it takes place in 2002, 2004, 2005 or 2006 is very secondary. Madam Speaker, I want to make clear my strong belief that Baltic membership in NATO--or the membership of any other country in NATO--is not contrary to Russian interests. In fact, it is in Russia's interest to have the arena of stability and prosperity in Europe expanded to Russia's borders. It is clear that as democratic forces gain strength within Russia, these democratic forces will welcome the enlargement of NATO and the growth of stable democracies in adjacent countries. It is not in Russia's interest to have countries such as Belorus run by a dictator on their border. It is in Russia's interest to have a country such as democratic Estonia--prosperous, free, and a member of NATO--to be near Russia. I never accepted during the Cold War--and I do not accept now--the notion that NATO threatens Russia. There is no NATO leader that has the slightest ambition to invade or act in a way that is contrary to Russia's long-term interests. The NATO leadership hopes for the evolution of a democratic and prosperous and stable Russia. The leadership and the members of NATO want nothing more for the Russian people but an improvement in their economic conditions and the improvement of their political and civil liberties. Madam Speaker, I disagree most strongly with the notion that we have to pay off the Russians in order to win their agreement to modify the ABM treaty in order to move ahead with our own system of missile defense. We should not truncate the natural growth of NATO in order to win concessions on missile defense, and we should definitely not allow Russian efforts at intimidation or blackmail to dissuade us from accepting the Baltic countries as members of NATO. Madam Speaker, these were our goals with respect to Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland when they were accepted for NATO membership four years ago. These will be our objectives with Slovenia, Slovakia and all other countries that seek membership and are granted membership in NATO in the future.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1157, the Pacific Salmon Recovery Act. Passage of this important bill that is vital to preserving our rapidly disappearing natural resources on the West Coast. This important bill would authorize funding to protect and restore salmon and steelhead populations in the Pacific Coast states of California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Mr. Chairman, on our nation's Pacific Coast, many species of salmon and trout are listed as threatened or endangered, and that number will continue to grow if we do not take steps to reverse this trend now. I urge passage of H.R. 1157, which provides financial assistance to states and trial governments for salmon and trout restoration. The salmon population has been declining on the West Coast for many years. This is due to habitat destruction, urban development, water diversions, land use and industry practices. Approximately 25 species are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, with additional species being considered for addition to the list. This bill will ensure that activities funded under the Endangered Species Act are conducted in a manner that will have long-term positive benefits for salmon conservation and habitat restoration. Mr. Chairman, this is an important issue to my Congressional district, which includes California coastal lands in San Mateo and San Francisco Counties. The decline in Salmon populations has been widely felt throughout the region, from the coastal streams of San Mateo and throughout the State. Local governments and private citizens would like to continue efforts to restore salmon habitat but need assistance from the Federal government to do this. H.R. 1157 will allow states and tribal governments to carry-out watershed evaluations and assessments and to develop plans to implement improvements. It will also fund research to ensure that the restoration is based on good sound data. Most importantly, it will offer assistance to educate private landowners on methods to restore the salmon and trout habitat on their land. The funding will also teach them land use and water management practices so they can continue to use their property without negatively affect these species. This bill authorizes $200 million a year for three years, with oversight to ensure that the funds will be used where they are most needed. The funding will be in the form of matching grants to states and tribal governments. It also requires that states provide matching grants and report annually to Congress on the use of these funds and their efforts to restore salmon and trout populations. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 1157 has widespread support, conservationists, fish producing states and local governments and local landowners alike, all share a common goal--the restoration of the salmon and trout populations along the Pacific Coast. I urge passage of the Pacific Salmon Recovery Act. The legislation will ensure that communities in San Mateo and all across California, Washington, Oregon and Alaska receive financial assistance to begin the important work of restoring salmon and trout populations in rivers and tributaries along the Pacific Coast.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Gabriel Erem, the publisher of Lifestyles magazine, upon his being selected as the inaugural recipient of the prestigious ``Jerusalem Award'' by the UJA-Federation of New York. This is in recognition of his thirty years of community involvement and for donating his time and resources to numerous charitable causes. The award will be presented on June 18th, 2001 in New York City. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Erem has lived the quintessential American dream. He was born in Hungary among the ruins of WWII to Holocaust survivors Rabbi Akiva Eichler and Borbala Frank. After winning a national writing context in 1964, Gabriel caught the attention of the Communist party and was eventually persecuted by them for his writings. Fearing for his safety he escaped to Israel, where he attended Tel Aviv University and later worked as a freelance journalist for several major newspapers. After Mr. Erem arrived in North America he founded a publishing company and has risen to the top of the publishing profession. Mr. Speaker, in addition to managing a successful magazine, Gabriel Erem serves on a number of humanitarian and charitable boards both in the United States and abroad. He is the Co-Chairman of the Children of Chernobyl organization and has worked on the establishment of the Endowment for Democracy School in Budapest, Hungary. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Israel Bonds organization, and serves on the Supervisory Boards of Bar Ilan University, Rambam Medical Center, Boys Town of Jerusalem and The Center of the Cantorial Arts. Mr. Erem is also a Member Emeritus on the council that bestows the Raoul Wallenberg Humanitarian Awards on behalf of the Shaarei Zedek Medical Center of Jerusalem and is an advisor to the College of Tosh where the new Torah Study Center was named after his late father, Rabbi Akiva Eichler. Mr. Erem is an advisor to New York University Law School, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, and the Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation in Toronto. Mr. Erem's commitment to educating people about the Holocaust led him to join Steven Spielberg's Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation. He is also an associate member of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations and is a member of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy. Gabriel Erem has been married for 29 years to his wife, Susan, and they are the parents of two lovely children. Mr. Speaker, Gabriel Erem's Lifestyles magazine was established to salute Jewish contributions in all areas of life. Over the past thirty years, the magazine has published profiles of extraordinary human beings ranging from Nobel Laureates, to giants of the art world, and individuals who have excelled in their various fields. Under Mr. Erem's leadership Lifestyles has established itself as a respected voice of integrity and continues to spotlight numerous and various humanitarian causes in each issue. Mr. Speaker, Gabriel Erem, a child of Holocaust survivors, is being honored for his passionate commitment to teaching Jewish history and culture and preserving the Jewish legacy to the world. He has made numerous contributions to Holocaust education in our country, including the dedication of several issues of his magazine to teaching future generations about the lessons of the Holocaust. He is a man of outstanding commitment and accomplishment in the noblest of pursuits, who continues to contribute to culture, education, ethnic understanding, and the spreading of democratic and free market principles. Through his vast commitment to preserving and nurturing Jewish communal life, both in the United States and Canada, Gabriel Erem has made a tremendous and enduring gift to the education of future generations about Jewish history and culture. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me paying tribute Gabriel Erem for his contributions to our society and applaud him on receiving the UJA-Federation of New York's first annual Jerusalem Award.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce HR 2121, the Russia Democracy Act--legislation designed to enhance our democracy, good governance and anti-corruption efforts in order to strengthen civil society and independent media in Russia. Without a viable civil society, Russia cannot achieve true economic prosperity--nor will it cease to be a potential security threat to the United States. The Freedom Support Act, signed into law in 1992 by the former President Bush, focused on eliminating the threat to U.S. national security from political instability and ``loose nukes'' in Russia, and was therefore primarily a government-to-government program. This effort succeeded in significantly reducing this security threat, and consistently won bipartisan support and funding in Congress. The Russia Democracy Act expands upon U.S. initiatives that have proven successful in Russia. Among other things, it provides further support for local democratic governments through the Regional Investment Initiative; expands training for Russian journalists in investigative techniques designed to ferret out corruption; and it broadens successful U.S.-Russia cultural exchanges, such as those sponsored by the Library of Congress. The Russia Democracy Act also launches a number of new initiatives to take advantage of new developments in Russian society over the past decade. It harnesses new information technologies to provide Internet access to Russian citizens, independent media and NGOs. It builds upon successful business education programs to establish new ``American Centers'' at Russian universities to share public policy, rule of law and civics experience and expertise. And it taps the growing network of local, independent media outlets to spread democratic principles through Radio Liberty and Voice of America. By targeting assistance to Russian civil society at the grassroots level, and by staying ahead of the development curve, the Russia Democracy Act represents a bold new effort to support agents of democratic change in Russia. Having laid the groundwork of democracy over the past decade, the Russian people must now develop the civil society and a genuine democratic culture to sustain it. Russia is no longer starting from ground zero. For the first time in their democratic institutions are in place, and civil society is taking shape thousand year history, the Russian people felt empowered to make their own decisions about matters that concern them. Millions of Russians have been able to travel freely outside their country. A myriad of citizens groups and NGOs exist, including parent-teacher associations, legal defense organizations, environmental interest groups, small business associations, societies for the protection of soldier conscripts, and many others. On the other hand, Russia's government no longer embraces Western assistance as a matter of national pride--even if this cuts across Russia's national interests. For instance, just last month, President Putin rejected a World Bank loan that would have helped address Russia's growing tuberculosis crisis. Under these circumstances, we must look for more creative and targeted engagement with Russia's civil society and local authorities, rather than limiting our contacts to Russia's central government. Russia is in the mid-stream of this transformation with much unfinished business--economic and structural reforms, eradication of corruption, arresting capital flight, reforming the military, rationalizing relations between the federal center and the regions, and countless others. Rather than preserving newly acquired democratic freedom, the current leadership in Moscow appears bent on its reversal. In an effort to implement economic reforms and reassert Russian national interests on the world stage, Putin is consolidating state power at the expense of Russian civil society. He condones the abuse of government power to quash internal dissent and silence criticism of his regime. The raid and hostile government take-over of Russia's most important independent newspaper, magazine and television outlets, and last week's prevention of a human rights leader Sergei Grigoryants from boarding a flight bound for Washington where he was to attend a conference on Russia are sad examples of this trend. The Congress has a responsibility to aid the President in cultivating Russian civil society. Historically, America's lawmakers have played a central role in this effort. The Jackson-Vanik amendment of the 1970's, for instance, linked economics and human rights, and effectively undermined Soviet Communism and hastened the arrival of Russian democracy. The Congress must again rise to the occasion. In the final analysis, a democratic Russia, respecting human rights and observing international norms of peaceful behavior, is squarely in U.S. national security interests. Millions of Russians want to be part of the West culturally, politically, and in many other senses. These forces need to be strengthened. In my judgement the Russian Democracy Act is an incredibly prudent investment on the part of the United States to bolster whatever democratic forces there are in Russia. This is a critically important piece of legislation, and I urge my colleagues in Congress to support it.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great pleasure to honor Rabbi Gerald Raiskin, who is celebrating 50 years in the Rabbinate and 45 years as Rabbi of Peninsula Temple Sholom. Rabbi Raiskin's life of service began in New York's lower East Side where he attended Seward Park High School, Herezliah Hebrew High School and Brooklyn College. His exemplary dedication to duty was evident from the early age of 18, when Gerald Raiskin answered his country's call and enlisted in the United States Army. He soon earned the rank of Private First Class and served with distinction in the 80th Infantry Division of the United States Army. Gerald Raiskin was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge and two Battle Stars for heroic combat duty, which included the capture of Hitler's Austrian birthplace and engagement in hostilities at the outskirts of the Buchenwald Concentration Camp, where the young soldier observed the bodies of inmates who were killed in the nearby woods as he marched towards the camp. When the war in Europe ended, Rabbi Raiskin's outstanding academic record afforded him the opportunity to attend the University of Geneva, where he studied art and political science before returning home to Brooklyn. Gerald Raiskin's path to the rabbinate began in earnest with his commitment to Reform Judaism and enrollment in the Jewish Institute of Religion's Rabbinical School in 1948. He was both an illustrious and industrious student who served as a student rabbi in several congregations while writing a thesis and preparing for written and oral examinations for the Master of Hebrew Literature Degree. On weekends, then student rabbi Raiskin tended both a reluctant furnace and a willing new congregation in East Hartford, Connecticut. On the High Holy Days he was assigned to conduct Conservative services in Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, a bungalow community where Rabbi Raiskin served as rabbi, cantor, torah reader and blew the shofar. In addition, he organized a religious school in Merrick, Long Island, and taught Hebrew to children in Trenton, New Jersey and was awarded two academic prizes before his ordination in June, 1951. Mr. Speaker, after his ordination Rabbi Raiskin traveled to the new state of Israel, where he lived in Jerusalem and continued his religious studies at the Hebrew University. When heavy rains in December of 1951 devastated the encampments of immigrants from North Africa and Romania, Rabbi Raiskin was sent to Afula, where he aided and eased the suffering by providing clothing that had been sent by Jewish organizations from the United States. Rabbi Raiskin returned from Israel in 1952 to work for the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC) as the Director of the Chicago Federation of Temple Youth. He also served as the Director of the Union's Institute which was the first camp owned by the UAHC in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin (now know as the Olin-Sang-Ruby Camp). In 1953, just in time for High Holy Days, Rabbi Raiskin joined the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue where he started a senior citizens group, increased attendance at the young adult groups, and strengthened the religious school. The yearning for a congregation of his own was answered in 1956 when Rabbi Raiskin received an early morning telephone call asking him to consider becoming the spiritual leader of the Peninsula Temple Sholom. On August 1, 1956 Peninsula Temple Sholom's first rabbi arrived in San Mateo to begin 45 years of humanitarian work that has extended well beyond the walls of the temple. Mr. Speaker, Rabbi Gerald Raiskin today is recognized as one of the great leaders of San Mateo County. He built the congregation of Peninsula Temple Sholom from very humble beginnings to a congregation of over 700 families, while constantly working to advance civil rights at home and abroad. In March of 1965 Rabbi Raiskin participated in the Civil Rights March to Montgomery with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Rabbi Raiskin was arrested on several occasions for protesting in front of the Soviet Consulate in San Francisco on behalf of Jews in the Soviet Union. He risked his own safety to bring humanitarian aid in the form of medical supplies and books on Judaica to refuseniks in Kiev, Leningrad and Moscow. Here at home, Rabbi Raiskin has been integral to interfaith efforts that have greatly benefitted the 12th Congressional District which I am privileged to serve. Rabbi Raiskin has aptly been described as ``a role model, a true community leader, an incredible teacher and an all around mensch.'' He is a loving husband to Helen, a devoted father to Sherman, Rhonda, Judith and Jordana and a doting grandfather to Marni, Jamie, Dana, Marcy, Jeremy and Eli. His spiritual leadership has brought joy, peace and comfort to generations of Peninsula Temple Sholom members. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Rabbi Raiskin on fifty years of service in the rabbinate, commending his half-century of humanitarian and public service and wishing him and his family many more years of richly deserved good health and happiness.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me today in paying well-deserved tribute to Joyce Keil, the Founder and Artistic Director of the nationally acclaimed Ragazzi: The Peninsula Boys Chorus. Under Ms. Keil's leadership Ragazzi has grown since its inception in 1987 into an internationally renowned chorus, successful in both live and recorded performance. Popular with audiences throughout the Bay Area and beyond, Ragazzi has its own concert series and also performs regularly with the San Francisco Opera, the San Francisco Symphony and numerous other outstanding musical groups. Ragazzi concerts are eagerly anticipated by its devoted and ever widening audience of music lovers, who are constantly thrilled by Ms. Keil's superb direction. Mr. Speaker, Joyce Keil's extraordinary musical artistry is evident in Ragazzi's repertoire of selections from a variety of different cultures sung in many different languages and dialects. Ragazzi is about to embark on a celebrated fifth international tour where the chorus will travel to the British Isles in order to perform in England and Wales. This tour will include the participation of the chorus in the prestigious Llangollen International Musical Festival in Wales. Ragazzi; The Peninsula Boys Chorus has also performed in Canada, Russia, Eastern Europe, Japan and in the Basilica of San Marco in Venice and St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Joyce Keil has enriched the lives of over 450 boys and young men, who since the inception of this group have sung and been educated in vocal technique, music theory and performance skills in training for Ragazzi and it's laureate program, Ragazzi: Young Men's Ensemble. Mr. Speaker, Ms. Keil's preeminence in the music world is demonstrated in her numerous appearances as a guest conductor, adjudicator and panelist for choirs and music teachers throughout the Western United States. She has been nationally recognized for her music program at Lick-Wilmerding High School in San Francisco. The Lick- Wilmerding Choruses received the gold medal in the 1998 Heritage Music Festival and captured second place in the 1997 Prague International Choral Festival. Ms. Keil has served as Western Division Chair of the Boychoir Committee for the American Advanced Placement Music Exams. Formerly on the faculty of Holy Names College, Ms. Keil has also been a faculty member of the College of Notre Dame. Joyce Keil has often expressed her firm belief that choral music educates the whole person. She has made an outstanding contribution to the academic enrichment of hundreds of students fortunate enough to enjoy her tutelage. Mr. Speaker, the Hillbarn Theatre is honoring Joyce Keil with its prestigious 2001 BRAVO! Award. I join the Hillbarn Theatre and urge all of my colleagues to join me in commending Ms. Keil's exceptional talent, generosity and commitment to our community. I also want to wish Ragazzi: The Peninsula Boys Chorus and Ms. Keil many more years of richly deserved success and artistic fulfillment.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, with the introduction of H.R. 1953, the ``Rancho Corral de Tierra Golden Gate National Recreation Area Boundary Adjustment Act of 2001'' today we have an incredible opportunity to add over 5,000 acres of pristine natural land to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), one of our nation's most visited national parks. Furthermore, we have a unique opportunity to do this through a public-private partnership. 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. 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 by supporting the adoption of H.R. 1953. Similar legislation is being introduced today in the Senate by Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Barbara Boxer. The ``Rancho Corral de Tierra Golden Gate National Recreation Area Boundary Adjustment Act of 2001'' has the support of the entire Bay Area Congressional Delegation. Joining me as co-sponsors of this legislation are my distinguished colleagues Anna Eshoo, Nancy Pelosi, George Miller, Lynn Woolsey, Ellen Tauscher, Pete Stark, Mike Thompson, Barbara Lee, Mike Honda, and Zoe Lofgren. H.R. 1953 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 it 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 which 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. 1953 will 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 which border the highway alignment that 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. 1953 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. 1953 will also reauthorize the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore Advisory Commission for 20 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 will hold public hearings next month on this legislation in Half Moon Bay, California. Advisory Commission members will be hearing public comment on the boundary study for the ``Rancho Corral de Tierra GGNRA Boundary Adjustment Act of 2001'' which 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 Golden Gate National Recreation Area. 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 which would destroy the scenic beauty and natural character of this key part of the Bay Area. I urge my colleagues to take advantage of this unique opportunity to preserve these important lands for addition to our national parks. I ask my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 1953, the ``Rancho Corral de Tierra Golden Gate National Recreation Area Boundary Adjustment Act of 2001''.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, Monday evening a bipartisan group of us went to New York to welcome the democratically-elected President of Taiwan Chen Shui-Bian. What a joy it was to see the leader of a country that was destitute and dictatorial just a few decades ago, and it is now a political democracy and one of the most successful economies on the face of this planet. This morning, Mr. Speaker, I welcome on behalf of scores of our colleagues across both sides of this aisle His Holiness the Dhali Lama, a man of remarkable moral authority, who speaks truth to power. I call on the Chinese Government in Beijing to begin a dialogue with this great leader so that the Tibetan people at long last can live, preserving their cultural and religious heritage. The Dhali Lama honors us with his presence and all of us in this body are delighted to welcome him to the United States.