Tom Lantos

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Lantos-Watt amendment to the Higher Education Reauthorization, H.R. 4137. This amendment clarifies that all graduate degree granting institutions are eligible as lead grantees under the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program in Title VII of the HEA. Mr. Chairman, as a former professor at San Francisco State University, I know the caliber of student in their graduate programs. And with our proximity to Silicon Valley, many of the leading biotech companies have an embarrassment of riches to select from. Before the Department of Education undermined congressional intent, limiting participation of master's degree granting institutions, SFSU was routinely competing and winning GAANN fellowships. Congress created the GAANN program to provide these fellowships for graduates with superior ability and financial needs studying in areas of national need. Under the original HEA statute and GAANN program regulations, graduate degree granting institutions including those terminating in a master's degree are eligible to participate as lead institutions in the GAANN program. Contrary to Congressional intent and the GAANN statute--which refers to graduate, not doctoral institutions--the Department limited participation as a lead entity in GAANN to doctoral granting institutions only. This action eliminated three master's degree granting programs at San Francisco State University, along with Florida A&M and North Carolina A&T from participation in the GAANN program. Until this action, SFSU had GAANN grants in biology and chemistry. Mr. Chairman, in the President's FY09 budget released a few days ago the GAANN program was tabbed for an increase in funding to stem the long-term decline in the number of fellowships awarded under the program. The President recognized how effective these grants are and provided support for 747 fellowships, including 529 new fellows. Mr. Chairman, GAANN is a competitive program. This provision would not open the program to new entrants. It would merely restore the ability of master's degree granting programs to compete with those granting PhDs. I proudly support the Lantos-Watt amendment and thank Mr. Watt for working with me to give all universities an opportunity to compete.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, last October, the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize was bestowed on a man who has dedicated his life to making this planet a more livable place for all of us and future generations. Vice President Al Gore has steadfastly served the people of the United States and the citizens of the world in his life's work, and I commend him for his leadership, foresight, and dedication in addressing the crisis of climate change. For our part, and under the visionary leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congress has taken a serious, groundbreaking step towards reducing our country's dangerous dependence on foreign oil by passing the Energy Independence and Security Act, which today became law. I am proud to have authored the international provisions, and could not be more proud of my colleagues for supporting a forward-looking piece of legislation that meets the tremendous challenge of combating climate change head-on. At long last, we are making a meaningful investment in new technologies that will yield clean, renewable energy. Vice President Gore's Nobel acceptance speech last week in Oslo, Norway epitomizes the way in which he has been able to lead by example on this crucial topic. His words of truth and clarion call to action inspire us all to take care of this Earth we call home, and I am honored to enter his eloquent speech into the Congressional Record. Al Gore. Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Honorable members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. I Have a purpose here today. It is a purpose I have tried to serve for many years. I have prayed that God would show me a way to accomplish it. Sometimes, without warning, the future knocks on our door with a precious and painful vision of what might be. One hundred and nineteen years ago, a wealthy inventor read his own obituary, mistakenly published years before his death. Wrongly believing the inventor had just died, a newspaper printed a harsh judgment of his life's work, unfairly labeling him ``the Merchant of Death'' because of his invention--dynamite. Shaken by this condemnation, the inventor made a fateful choice to serve the cause of peace. Seven years later, Alfred Nobel created this prize and the others that bear his name. Seven years ago tomorrow, I read my own political obituary in a judgment that seemed to me harsh and mistaken--if not premature. But that unwelcome verdict also brought a precious if painful gift: an opportunity to search for fresh new ways to serve my purpose. Unexpectedly, that quest has brought me here. Even though I fear my words cannot match this moment, I pray what I am feeling in my heart will be communicated clearly enough that those who hear me will say, ``We must act.'' The distinguished scientists with whom it is the greatest honor of my life to share this award have laid before us a choice between two different futures--a choice that to my ears echoes the words of an ancient prophet: ``Life or death, blessings or curses. Therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.'' We, the human species, are confronting a planetary emergency--a threat to the survival of our civilization that is gathering ominous and destructive potential even as we gather here. But there is hopeful news as well: we have the ability to solve this crisis and avoid the worst--though not all--of its consequences, if we act boldly, decisively and quickly. However, despite a growing number of honorable exceptions, too many of the world's leaders are still best described in the words Winston Churchill applied to those who ignored Adolf Hitler's threat: ``They go on in strange paradox, decided only to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all powerful to be impotent.'' So today, we dumped another 70 million tons of global- warming pollution into the thin shell of atmosphere surrounding our planet, as if it were an open sewer. And tomorrow, we will dump a slightly larger amount, with the cumulative concentrations now trapping more and more heat from the sun. As a result, the earth has a fever. And the fever is rising. The experts have told us it is not a passing affliction that will heal by itself. We asked for a second opinion. And a third. And a fourth. And the consistent conclusion, restated with increasing alarm, is that something basic is wrong. We are what is wrong, and we must make it right. Last September 21, as the Northern Hemisphere tilted away from the sun, scientists reported with unprecedented distress that the North Polar ice cap is ``falling off a cliff.'' One study estimated that it could be completely gone during summer in less than 22 years. Another new study, to be presented by U.S. Navy researchers later this week, warns it could happen in as little as 7 years. Seven years from now. In the last few months, it has been harder and harder to misinterpret the signs that our world is spinning out of kilter. Major cities in North and South America, Asia and Australia are nearly out of water due to massive droughts and melting glaciers. Desperate farmers are losing their livelihoods. Peoples in the frozen Arctic and on low-lying Pacific islands are planning evacuations of places they have long called home. Unprecedented wildfires have forced a half million people from their homes in one country and caused a national emergency that almost brought down the government in another. Climate refugees have migrated into areas already inhabited by people with different cultures, religions, and traditions, increasing the potential for conflict. Stronger storms in the Pacific and Atlantic have threatened whole cities. Millions have been displaced by massive flooding in South Asia, Mexico, and 18 countries in Africa. As temperature extremes have increased, tens of thousands have lost their lives. We are recklessly burning and clearing our forests and driving more and more species into extinction. The very web of life on which we depend is being ripped and frayed. We never intended to cause all this destruction, just as Alfred Nobel never intended that dynamite be used for waging war. He had hoped his invention would promote human progress. We shared that same worthy goal when we began burning massive quantities of coal, then oil and methane. Even in Nobel's time, there were a few warnings of the likely consequences. One of the very first winners of the Prize in chemistry worried that, ``We are evaporating our coal mines into the air.'' After performing 10,000 equations by hand, Svante Arrhenius calculated that the earth's average temperature would increase by many degrees if we doubled the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Seventy years later, my teacher, Roger Revelle, and his colleague, Dave Keeling, began to precisely document the increasing CO2 levels day by day. But unlike most other forms of pollution, CO2 is invisible, tasteless, and odorless--which has helped keep the truth about what it is doing to our climate out of sight and out of mind. Moreover, the catastrophe now threatening us is unprecedented--and we often confuse the unprecedented with the improbable. We also find it hard to imagine making the massive changes that are now necessary to solve the crisis. And when large truths are genuinely inconvenient, whole societies can, at least for a time, ignore them. Yet as George Orwell reminds us: ``Sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield.'' In the years since this prize was first awarded, the entire relationship between humankind and the earth has been radically transformed. And still, we have remained largely oblivious to the impact of our cumulative actions. Indeed, without realizing it, we have begun to wage war on the earth itself. Now, we and the earth's climate are locked in a relationship familiar to war planners: ``Mutually assured destruction.'' More than two decades ago, scientists calculated that nuclear war could throw so much debris and smoke into the air that it would block life-giving sunlight from our atmosphere, causing a ``nuclear winter.'' Their eloquent warnings here in Oslo helped galvanize the world's resolve to halt the nuclear arms race. Now science is warning us that if we do not quickly reduce the global warming pollution that is trapping so much of the heat our planet normally radiates back out of the atmosphere, we are in danger of creating a permanent ``carbon summer.'' As the American poet Robert Frost wrote, ``Some say the world will end in fire; some say in ice.'' Either, he notes, ``would suffice.'' But neither need be our fate. It is time to make peace with the planet. We must quickly mobilize our civilization with the urgency and resolve that has previously been seen only when nations mobilized for war. These prior struggles for survival were won when leaders found words at the 11th hour that released a mighty surge of courage, hope and readiness to sacrifice for a protracted and mortal challenge. These were not comforting and misleading assurances that the threat was not real or imminent; that it would affect others but not ourselves; that ordinary life might be lived even in the presence of extraordinary threat; that Providence could be trusted to do for us what we would not do for ourselves. No, these were calls to come to the defense of the common future. They were calls upon the courage, generosity and strength of entire peoples, citizens of every class and condition who were ready to stand against the threat once asked to do so. Our enemies in those times calculated that free people would not rise to the challenge; they were, of course, catastrophically wrong. Now comes the threat of climate crisis--a threat that is real, rising, imminent, and universal. Once again, it is the 11th hour. The penalties for ignoring this challenge are immense and growing, and at some near point would be unsustainable and unrecoverable. For now we still have the power to choose our fate, and the remaining question is only this: Have we the will to act vigorously and in time, or will we remain imprisoned by a dangerous illusion? Mahatma Gandhi awakened the largest democracy on earth and forged a shared resolve with what he called ``Satyagraha''-- or ``truth force.'' In every land, the truth--once known--has the power to set us free. Truth also has the power to unite us and bridge the distance between ``me'' and ``we,'' creating the basis for common effort and shared responsibility. There is an African proverb that says, ``If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.'' We need to go far, quickly. We must abandon the conceit that individual, isolated, private actions are the answer. They can and do help. But they will not take us far enough without collective action. At the same time, we must ensure that in mobilizing globally, we do not invite the establishment of ideological conformity and a new lock-step ``ism.'' That means adopting principles, values, laws, and treaties that release creativity and initiative at every level of society in multifold responses originating concurrently and spontaneously. This new consciousness requires expanding the possibilities inherent in all humanity. The innovators who will devise a new way to harness the sun's energy for pennies or invent an engine that's carbon negative may live in Lagos or Mumbai or Montevideo. We must ensure that entrepreneurs and inventors everywhere on the globe have the chance to change the world. When we unite for a moral purpose that is manifestly good and true, the spiritual energy unleashed can transform us. The generation that defeated fascism throughout the world in the 1940s found, in rising to meet their awesome challenge, that they had gained the moral authority and long-term vision to launch the Marshall Plan, the United Nations, and a new level of global cooperation and foresight that unified Europe and facilitated the emergence of democracy and prosperity in Germany, Japan, Italy and much of the world. One of their visionary leaders said, ``It is time we steered by the stars and not by the lights of every passing ship.'' In the last year of that war, you gave the Peace Prize to a man from my hometown of 2000 people, Carthage, Tennessee. Cordell Hull was described by Franklin Roosevelt as the ``Father of the United Nations.'' He was an inspiration and hero to my own father, who followed Hull in the Congress and the U.S. Senate and in his commitment to world peace and global cooperation. My parents spoke often of Hull, always in tones of reverence and admiration. Eight weeks ago, when you announced this prize, the deepest emotion I felt was when I saw the headline in my hometown paper that simply noted I had won the same prize that Cordell Hull had won. In that moment, I knew what my father and mother would have felt were they alive. Just as Hull's generation found moral authority in rising to solve the world crisis caused by fascism, so too can we find our greatest opportunity in rising to solve the climate crisis. In the Kanji characters used in both Chinese and Japanese, ``crisis'' is written with two symbols, the first meaning ``danger,'' the second ``opportunity.'' By facing and removing the danger of the climate crisis, we have the opportunity to gain the moral authority and vision to vastly increase our own capacity to solve other crises that have been too long ignored. We must understand the connections between the climate crisis and the afflictions of poverty, hunger, HIV-AIDS and other pandemics. As these problems are linked, so too must be their solutions. We must begin by making the common rescue of the global environment the central organizing principle of the world community. Fifteen years ago, I made that case at the ``Earth Summit'' in Rio de Janeiro. Ten years ago, I presented it in Kyoto. This week, I will urge the delegates in Bali to adopt a bold mandate for a treaty that establishes a universal global cap on emissions and uses the market in emissions trading to efficiently allocate resources to the most effective opportunities for speedy reductions. This treaty should be ratified and brought into effect everywhere in the world by the beginning of 2010--two years sooner than presently contemplated. The pace of our response must be accelerated to match the accelerating pace of the crisis itself. Heads of state should meet early next year to review what was accomplished in Bali and take personal responsibility for addressing this crisis. It is not unreasonable to ask, given the gravity of our circumstances, that these heads of state meet every three months until the treaty is completed. We also need a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store carbon dioxide. And most important of all, we need to put a price on carbon--with a CO2 tax that is then rebated back to the people, progressively, according to the laws of each nation, in ways that shift the burden of taxation from employment to pollution. This is by far the most effective and simplest way to accelerate solutions to this crisis. The world needs an alliance--especially of those nations that weigh heaviest in the scales where earth is in the balance. I salute Europe and Japan for the steps they've taken in recent years to meet the challenge, and the new government in Australia, which has made solving the climate crisis its first priority. But the outcome will be decisively influenced by two nations that are now failing to do enough: the United States and China. While India is also growing fast in importance, it should be absolutely clear that it is the two largest CO2 emitters--most of all, my own country--that will need to make the boldest moves, or stand accountable before history for their failure to act. Both countries should stop using the other's behavior as an excuse for stalemate and instead develop an agenda for mutual survival in a shared global environment. These are the last few years of decision, but they can be the first years of a bright and hopeful future if we do what we must. No one should believe a solution will be found without effort, without cost, without change. Let us acknowledge that if we wish to redeem squandered time and speak again with moral authority, then these are the hard truths: The way ahead is difficult. The outer boundary of what we currently believe is feasible is still far short of what we actually must do. Moreover, between here and there, across the unknown, falls the shadow. That is just another way of saying that we have to expand the boundaries of what is possible. In the words of the Spanish poet, Antonio Machado, ``Pathwalker, there is no path. You must make the path as you walk.'' We are standing at the most fateful fork in that path. So I want to end as I began, with a vision of two futures--each a palpable possibility--and with a prayer that we will see with vivid clarity the necessity of choosing between those two futures, and the urgency of making the right choice now. The great Norwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen, wrote, ``One of these days, the younger generation will come knocking at my door.'' The future is knocking at our door right now. Make no mistake, the next generation will ask us one of two questions. Either they will ask: ``What were you thinking; why didn't you act?'' Or they will ask instead: ``How did you find the moral courage to rise and successfully resolve a crisis that so many said was impossible to solve?'' We have everything we need to get started, save perhaps political will, but political will is a renewable resource. So let us renew it, and say together: ``We have a purpose. We are many. For this purpose we will rise, and we will act.''

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to share news about a remarkable organization serving many of the constituents in my home district. The Veterans Memorial Senior Center in Redwood City recently celebrated its recognition as the first--and only--accredited senior center in San Mateo County, the third in California and just the 148th of the 15,000 senior centers in the United States. The senior center's accreditation status is bestowed by the National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC), a unit of the National Council on the Aging. Accreditation is the official recognition that a senior center is meeting its mission in a nationally accepted professional fashion. It is based on compliance with nine standards of senior center operations developed by NISC. Accreditation is unique to the senior center field and demonstrates outstanding leadership and commitment to high quality programs and services to older adults. Madam Speaker, the Veterans Memorial Senior Center is to be commended for its vision, collaborative relationships, volunteer programs, outreach programs, wide range of health and fitness programs, plus support services. Its mission is to provide inclusive programs that enhance the body, mind and spirit focusing on health and wellness through a variety of social events, expressive arts, nutrition, fitness, educational, and recreational classes; plus social services support. And it does this very well. On December 1, 2007, the Center celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a gala event featuring a theme of ``Honoring Our Legacy and Looking Into Our Future.'' I rise today to recognize them on achieving this milestone, and to thank them on behalf of a grateful nation for all the good they do. Madam Speaker, on behalf of my constituents and the House, I thank the Veterans Memorial Senior Center on Madison Avenue in Redwood City for its 25 years of service and note the exemplary work that Linda M. Griffith, its director, has done to achieve this prestigious accreditation.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, at a watershed moment in global diplomacy last week, our distinguished former Vice President, Al Gore, stepped in to fill an enormous U.S. vacuum in leadership. At the world summit on global warming in Bali, Indonesia, this new Nobel laureate once again took on the necessary role of the nation's conscience in the effort to save our planet from a looming climate catastrophe. With a candid and clear-eyed address, Vice President Gore provided a powerful bridge of hope to world leaders who were struggling to make real progress in setting a roadmap toward a treaty designed to stave off the most devastating impacts of global warming. In his speech, Vice President Gore courageously confronted the ``inconvenient truth'' that right now, at this moment in history; the principal obstruction to progress in the global effort to confront the Earth's greatest existential threat is the United States of America. He urged the assembled delegates in Bali to overcome their anger and frustration at this obstacle, vowing that ``over the next two years, the United States is going to be in a place it is not now.'' The Vice President also offered a solution, suggesting that rather than trying to move the Bush Administration, the climate summit simply should circumvent it by leaving ``a large open space'' in the document to be filled in when U.S. leadership is finally restored. Inspired by the Vice President's address, the U.N. delegates finally and resolutely rebuffed the administration's effort to block consensus on a ``Bali Roadmap'' by reaching a consensus that commits all nations to negotiate a new, scientifically valid deal to fighting global warming by 2009. The resolve to face down the White House was best perhaps best articulated by the delegate from Papua New Guinea--who, addressing the U.S. delegation in the final diplomatic showdown, declared, ``If you cannot lead, leave it to the rest of us. Please get out of the way.'' Madam Speaker, our distinguished former congressional colleague, Al Gore, has provided our Nation and our global community with great leadership. At a time when our own Administration has let us down, Vice President Gore has reminded the world that, in his words, ``political will is a renewable resource.'' I commend the text of the Vice President's historic address to my colleagues. To date, this landmark in the global climate discussion has not been published in its entirety anywhere, but I am honored now to place a verbatim transcript of it in the Congressional Record. Al Gore's words should inspire all of us to work to fill in the ``large open space'' that our current administration has left in the place where U.S. leadership normally resides. Speech at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, Bali, Indonesia, December 13, 2007 (By Al Gore) I am not an official of the United States, and I am not bound by the diplomatic niceties. So, I am going to speak an inconvenient truth. My own country, the United States, is principally responsible for obstructing progress here in Bali. We all know that. We all know that. But, my country is not the only one that can take steps to ensure that we move forward from Bali with progress, and with hope. Those of you who applauded when I spoke openly about the diplomatic truth here have a choice to make. You can do one of two things here. You can feel anger and frustration and direct it at the United States of America, or you can make a second choice. You can decide to move forward and do all of the difficult work that needs to be done and save a large open blank space in your document and put a footnote by it. And when you look at the footnote, write the description of the footnote. This document is incomplete, but we are going to move forward anyway on the hope--and I am going to describe for you why I think you can also have the realistic expectation--that that blank will be filled in. This is the beginning of a process designed to culminate in Copenhagen two years from now. Over the next two years, the United States is going to be somewhere it is not now. You must anticipate that. Targets must be a part of the treaty that is adopted in Copenhagen. And the treaty, by the way, should not only be adopted in 2009: I urge you in this mandate to move the target for full implementation of this treaty to a point two years sooner than presently contemplated. Let's have it take effect fully in 2010, and not 2012. We can't afford to wait another five years in order to replace the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol. So we must leave here with a strong mandate. This is not the time for business as usual. Somehow we have to summon, and each of you must summon a sense of urgency here in Bali. These are not political problems, they are moral imperatives. But our capacity to strip away the disguise and see them for what they really are and then find the basis to act together to successfully address them is what is missing. The greatest opportunity inherent in this climate crisis is not only to quickly deploy the new technologies that will facilitate sustainable development, to create the new jobs and to lift standards of living. The greatest opportunity is that in rising to meet the climate crisis, we in our generation will find the moral authority and capacity for long term vision to get our act together in this world and take on these other crises, not political problems, and solve them. We are one people, on one planet. We have one future, one destiny. We must pursue it together, and we can. The great Spanish poet from Sevilla Antonio Machado wrote, ``Path walker, there is no path. You must make the path as you walk.'' There is no path from Bali to Copenhagen unless you make it. It's impossible given the positions of the powerful countries, including my own, and the instructions from which they are not going to depart. But you can make a new path. You can make a path that goes around that blank spot. And you can go forward. There are two paths you can choose. They lead to two different futures. Not too long from now, when our children assess what you did here in Bali, what we in our generation did here in this world. As they look backward, at 2007, they will ask one of two questions. I don't know which one they will ask, I know which one I prefer they ask, but trust me, they will ask one of these two questions. They'll look back and either they will ask, ``What were you thinking? Didn't you hear the IPCC four times unanimously warning the world to act? Didn't you see the glaciers melting? Didn't you see the North Polar ice cap disappearing? Didn't you see the deserts growing and the droughts deepening and the crops drying up? Didn't you see the sea level rising, didn't you see the floods, didn't you pay attention to what was going on? Didn't you care? What were you thinking?'' Or they will ask a second question, one that I much prefer them ask. I want them to look back on this time and ask, ``How did you find the moral courage to successfully address a crisis that some many have said was impossible to address? How were you able to start the process that unleashed the moral imagination of humankind to see ourselves as a single global civilization?'' And when they ask that question, I want you to tell them that you saw it as a privilege to be alive at a moment when a relatively small group of people could control the destiny of all generations to come. Instead of shaking our heads at the difficulty of this task and saying, ``Woe is us, this is impossible, how can we do this?'' We're so mad at the ones that are making it harder; we ought to feel a sense of joy that we have work that is worth doing, that is so important to the future of all humankind. We ought to feel a sense of exhilaration that we are the people alive at a moment in history when we can make all the difference. That's who you are. You have everything you need. We have everything we need, save perhaps political will. but political will is a renewable resource. Thank you very much.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join this commemoration of the extraordinary life of Henry Hyde, the late, able chairman of the House International Relations Committee. The United States House of Representatives lost an institutional legend this year, and those of us lucky enough to have served with Henry Hyde lost a treasured friend. Although Henry and I did not always agree on matters of policy, I have a deep and lasting respect for his service to this country. Mr. Speaker, Henry Hyde was a giant. His integrity, intelligence and patriotism were of towering proportions. Our friendship always transcended partisan political considerations and was reminiscent of an era of congressional collegiality. Henry's passionate commitment to public service and to the American people will serve as a beacon for generations. Henry Hyde had a wide variety of legislative feathers in his cap, but I wish today to speak about two particularly notable accomplishments. The first rightfully bears his name--the Henry J. Hyde United States- India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act. This bipartisan agreement was done with cooperation in both Chambers. It represents the right way of legislating--ample preparation, consideration of all ideas, bipartisan cooperation, cordial relations with the other body, and keen attention to institutional prerogatives. Also under Henry's leadership, Congress approved groundbreaking, bipartisan legislation to fund the global battle against the scourge of HIV/AIDS. The U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003 would not have happened without Henry's strength and persistence, and it stands as a testament to his life and work. Henry memorably--and astutely--compared the scourge of HIV/AIDS to the bubonic plague in its tragic scope. We are now in the midst of renewing the mandate of this vital legislation, and Henry's leading role in it will be very much on his colleagues' minds. A member of the International Relations Committee since 1982, Henry was a key figure in debates and decisions about war and peace, international arms control, the expansion of NATO, and United Nations reform. He also served with distinction on the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees, but I will let others speak to his achievements there. And of course, the continued, devoted support by his constituents through 16 terms in Congress speaks volumes about his work on behalf of his district. Mr. Speaker, Henry chaired the International Relations Committee for 6 years, through some of the most pivotal and riveting challenges of our times. He wielded his gavel with fairness, intellectual honesty and no small amount of wit. Some of us may disagree with some of his policies, but he was a true gentleman of the House, and he will be deeply and sincerely missed.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference agreement on H.R. 1585 and would like to thank my distinguished colleague, Chairman Ike Skelton, for his hard work and leadership on this important legislation. I am grateful for his partnership on critical matters of national security. The struggle against terrorism requires a global campaign centered on engagement with the Muslim world. It also requires us to strengthen our partners' capabilities to fight terror and to maintain our own military capabilities in this area. I welcome the efforts by the Committee on Armed Services to adjust the Department of Defense's legal authorities to meet this challenge. To its credit, the Department recognizes that ``soft'' power makes the use of military force more effective by fostering stability among vulnerable populations. To that end, the Pentagon has sought a variety of foreign assistance-related authorities traditionally implemented by the State Department. I particularly welcome the Defense Department's efforts to address shortcomings in our national security bureaucracy. In the arena of stability operations, I, more than anyone, am aware of the budget shortfalls confronting the State Department, and I am fully aware that the men and women in uniform do not at times receive the expanded support that they need during stabilization operations. I am also pleased that the Defense authorization bill follows the lead of H.R. 885, the Lantos-Hobson ``International Nuclear Fuel for Peace and Nonproliferation Act, passed by the House in June, to designate $50 million to support the establishment of an international nuclear fuel bank, under multilateral control and direction, to remove any rational incentive for countries to build their own uranium enrichment plants--facilities that can make fuel for both civil power reactors and nuclear weapons. It also supports international efforts to build international pressure on Iran by addressing Tehran's claims that it must build a massive enrichment facility because there is no international assurance of supply of reactor fuel. Notwithstanding these gains, there are a few aspects of this legislation which require continued vigilant oversight by the Foreign Affairs and Defense committees. First, we must ensure that the administration and the Congress work together to develop appropriate nonproliferation safeguards for implementation of the fuel bank. In particular, I look forward to working with the executive branch on criteria for access by foreign countries to any fuel bank established by the IAEA with materials or funds provided by the United States. Second, to the extent that core functions of the State Department are being duplicated by the Department of Defense, both the Defense and Foreign Relations committees must ensure that the national instruments of soft power remain coherent, coordinated and sufficiently authorized and funded. In the words of Secretary Robert Gates: If we are to meet the myriad challenges around the world in the coming decades, this country must strengthen other important elements of national power both institutionally and financially, and create the capability to integrate and apply all of the elements of national power to problems and challenges abroad. We must ensure that the State Department in particular is adequately resourced to maximize its role in the fight against terror. Our oversight must also ensure that assistance is carried out both by the Defense and State departments in a coordinated, unified fashion. In that spirit, I look forward to reviewing the report required by Section 1209 of this bill, which will require the Department of Defense to provide a global snapshot of the foreign assistance activities it currently undertakes. I again applaud the work of my colleagues in producing a bill that is a tribute to our men and women in uniform and advances American security.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 853 and to honor those selfless individuals who volunteered to help cleanup the recent San Francisco Bay oil spill. On November 7, a cargo vessel inexplicably collided with the San Francisco Bay Bridge, spilling more than 58,000 gallons of toxic bunker fuel and causing one of the worst environmental disasters the region has ever seen. The impact on wildlife and surrounding beaches has been extremely detrimental, with over 28 beaches closing and severely impacting wildlife all around the bay. However, in a strong testament to the American spirit, through this disaster we saw resolve and self-sacrifice. I am extremely proud of the thousands of individuals from around the area who immediately volunteered to assist with the cleanup. Bay Area non-profit community organizations like San Francisco Connect have supported the response and recovery of volunteers, while Bay Area environmental organizations like Baykeeper, Save the Bay, and the Bay Institute have provided invaluable leadership in assessing the damage and remediating this beautiful ecosystem. Specifically, I want to recognize two of my constituents, Lynn Adams and Deborah Nagle-Burks who, with the Pacifica Beach Coalition, solicited volunteers while working through red tape to make sure anyone who wanted to participate in the clean-up was able to. They remain involved, and have advocated for a proactive approach to training volunteers before a spill occurs so that the response of local citizens can be faster and the damage limited. In addition, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, members of the San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association, commercial crabbers, and other Bay Area fishermen have all joined the cleanup efforts, making an indelible contribution. The collaborative effort of state and local agencies deserves our thanks as well. The City of San Francisco, particularly through its Department of Emergency Management, has significantly contributed to the overall response. Mr. Speaker, we owe a deep debt of gratitude to all the volunteers who have given their time, the fishermen who have given their boats, and the first responders who have given their expertise to this clean up. Without the extraordinary efforts of these men and women it is certain the scope of damage to the fragile Bay ecosystem would be even greater than what we face today. I will never cease to be proud and amazed by the dedication of my constituents and of the American people. This why I rise in very strong support of H. Res. 853. It is my hope that this resolution will be swiftly passed and the selfless individuals who volunteered to clean up the oil spill will be duly recognized. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, the decorations are up, the parties are planned, and the nation's capital had its first snow fall--the holiday season is officially upon us. Along with the joy and reflection this time of year brings, children are waiting hopefully for that one gift that will make their holiday complete. As the dutiful, doting parents that we are, we are more than happy to oblige. But we may be giving our children more than they bargained for; recent studies have found more than one in three of the season's most popular toys have tested positive for traces of lead. While I may not know Dora the Explorer from Hannah Montana, I do know my grandchildren and great-grandchildren deserve toys that won't make them sick. This year has seen too many recalls, too many toys slipping through the cracks of the watchdogs at the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and too many shelves still stocked with toys that pose a risk to our kids. This is wholly unacceptable! Back in the Bay Area, the San Francisco Department of the Environment has taken matters into its own hands, testing children's toys for lead, cadmium and other dangerous chemicals. With an instant-read testing device parents will know whether the toys on their list put their kids at risk. It is inconceivable that the agency put in charge of consumer protection for all Americans has so completely ignored its responsibility. It is an embarrassment that local government must rectify the ineptitude of the CPSC, though I congratulate San Francisco for its forethought and ingenuity. Madam Speaker, this is a dereliction of duty by the CPSC that I am not prepared to accept. I have cosponsored a resolution introduced by my friend from Connecticut, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, calling for the resignation of Nancy Nord, the current head of the Commission. Government watchdogs, retail outlets and the manufacturers themselves must take responsibility for the toys that end up on our shelves, and I will continue to demand that this holistic approach to keeping children safe is not ignored. Parents take their children's safety most seriously, and the resources that exist online and through numerous publications are a gift themselves. I hope all my constituents, and gift-givers across the country, will take advantage of the information available to them. I wish everyone a happy and healthy new year, and I hope everyone gets what they want for the holidays--without the lead.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the exchange of letters between Chairman Conyers and myself be made part of the Record. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, November 15, 2007. Hon. Tom Lantos, Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Lantos: In recognition of the desire to expedite consideration of H.R. 3887, the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Reauthorization Act of 2007, the Committee on the Judiciary agrees to waive formal consideration of the bill as to provisions that fall within the rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary. The Committee takes this action with the understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 3887 at this time, the Committee on the Judiciary does not waive any jurisdiction over subject matter contained in this or similar legislation. The Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this important anti-slavery legislation, and requests your support if such a request is made. I would appreciate your including this letter in the Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the House floor. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, John Conyers, Jr., Chairman.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to share news of an extraordinary young woman from my home district. Lisa Chan, a 17-year- old senior at St. Ignatius College Preparatory School, and a Daly City resident, has been recognized with a Jefferson Award. It is a fitting honor, but let me say it is but one more accolade for this extremely accomplished young lady. Some might refer to Lisa as an ``overachiever,'' but that would hardly do justice to the list of accomplishments she has already achieved. At her school, she is editor-in-chief of the yearbook, President of the California Scholarship Federation, President/Founder of the Leo's Club, and Academic Representative of the Student Council. Lisa is also able to maintain a 4.2 grade point average. She won this year's Miss San Francisco Outstanding Teen pageant, which is part of the Miss America organization. Her winning theme of ``Empowering the Youth Toward an Educational Revolution'' highlights her extracurricular activity of creating a non-profit agency to do exactly that. Her ``Bay Area Strive'' group puts high school students to work helping elementary school students. It is a stunning success in its own right, empowering young adults to become active in the effort to upgrade the California public school system. In fact, Lisa has the goal of publishing a book about the effort by her 18th birthday. I am confident that she will succeed in that goal, as she has succeeded in so much already. Madam Speaker, I am proud to say that Lisa Chan also was one of just eight teenage girls to win the national Target House Volunteer Contest, which focuses on volunteerism. Few teenagers show the drive and determination evidenced by Lisa Chan at such an early age. She is truly a role model for her peers and I am proud to introduce her to my colleagues in the House of Representatives. Madam Speaker, I have little doubt that Lisa Chan will fulfill her goal of attending college and eventually studying law. Her commitment to the community, matched by her intelligence and perseverance, will hold her in good stead as she pursues her ultimate goal of political activity.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, it gives me tremendous pleasure to share news of a special Golden Anniversary occurring in my home district in California. The City of Pacifica, a jewel along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, celebrates 50 years of incorporation as an independent municipality on Nov. 22 of this year. In 1957, people along the Coast decided that they were tired of being second-class San Mateo County residents. The seaside villages and valley communities stretching from the Daly City border south to the Devil's Slide were fearful of being used as a dumping ground by their more prosperous and established neighbors. In fact, the City of San Bruno actually wanted to annex parts of the area for landfill purposes, a notion incomprehensible today. Madam Speaker, those fiercely strong-minded Coastsiders held meetings, hired consultants, used graduate students to prepare surveys, canvassed their neighbors, and, in short, did everything they could to assess the possibility of incorporating as a city. There was an active resistance, as well, with a strong contingent of people who wanted things to stay the same. Let me say, Madame Speaker, with no small amount of pride, that the people who live in this special area have long been known to be politically active, inquisitive and resourceful. It actually took two separate elections before a majority, of only about 500 votes to be precise, decided to incorporate. But once the decision was made, Madame Speaker, the people in this gorgeous geographical area of California embarked on a public adventure that created one of the truly unique cities in America, if not the world. Ahead of its time in many ways, the new city was christened ``Pacifica'' to highlight the ocean next to it as well as the 80-foot statue by sculptor Ralph Stackpole that represented the people of the Pacific Rim at the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island in 1939 and 1940. The very first mayor was a woman, Jean Fassler, starting a city tradition of politically active women sitting on the council. While Pacifica made international news in 1992 for having an All-Women City Council, it is often overlooked that the city has never actually had an All-Men elected body. Madam Speaker, let me paint a picture of the history of this region. In 1769, a group of explorers led by Don Gaspar de Portola viewed San Francisco Bay from a point now known as Sweeney Ridge, which is within the eastern boundary of Pacifica and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, a part of the National Parks Service system with a tremendous influence on Pacifica's natural beauty. Panoramic views of the Bay Area greet hikers who make the climb up Sweeney Ridge. The Portola Discovery Site has been designated as a National Landmark. It is my great pleasure to have had a leading role in expanding the Golden Gate National Recreation Area to include this beautiful site, along with other open spaces in the region. Starting in 1785, crops were planted in San Pedro Valley at an outpost of Mission Dolores. In 1839, Don Francisco Sanchez was given a Mexican Land Grant with boundaries similar to the present City boundary lines. In 1846 he moved into the Sanchez Adobe, which is currently maintained as a San Mateo County Museum and park on Linda Mar Boulevard. This coastal area remained for years primarily an agricultural Eden until the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Land speculators, stimulated by the construction of the Ocean Shore Railroad, subdivided and developed a series of small coastside communities with the hope of creating a suburban population for San Francisco. The vision then was to establish a tourist and commuter heaven along the Pacific Ocean. The Little Brown Church, Anderson's Store and San Pedro School (which later became City Hall) date from this period. In 1908, Henry Harrison McCloskey, an attorney for the Ocean Shore Railroad, built a castle- like home which still dominates a hill above Sharp Park. Mrs. Honora Sharp donated 410 acres to the City and County of San Francisco to develop a recreation area, which became the Sharp Park Golf Course and the Rifle and Archery Range. Subdivisions were eventually created, although long after the demise of the Ocean Shore Railroad in 1921, to meet the needs of young families of returning World War II veterans. In less than a decade from its 1957 incorporation, the population had grown to 35,000 people. It has taken four more decades to increase that number by 5,000. This statistic alone points to one of the special qualities of Pacifica. Pacifica is made up of 10 communities, including Edgemar, Pacific Manor, Manor Village, Westview, Sharp Park, Fairway Park, Vallemar, Rockaway Beach, Linda Mar and Pedro Point. Residents continue to identify with the specific personalities of their neighborhoods while maintaining a certain pride in being from Pacifica. Green and white became the City colors and the fuchsia was designated as the City flower. ``Wisdom in Progress'' became the City slogan, although ``Scenic Pacifica,'' later suggested by Carl McCarthy, is more widely used. In 1970, Balaguer, Spain, the birthplace of Portola, became the Sister City of Pacifica. Madam Speaker, I want to share the news that in recent years Pacifica has completed a number of notable projects such as: the Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant--April 2001; Friendship Playground--June 2001; New Pacifica Police Station--November 2002; Pacifica State Beach Improvement Project; Rockaway to Crespi Multi-use Trail and Crespi to Pedro Point Multi-use Trail--October 2004; Pacifica Skatepark--December 2005; Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant Photovoltaic Project--July 2006; Esplanade 500 Block Blufftop Enhancement Project and the San Pedro Creek Flood Control Project and Fish Ladder renovation. These projects bring attention to the most successful aspect of Pacifica's existence-this is a city far ahead of its time in the way it capitalizes on maintaining strong environmental and ecological priorities. Madam Speaker, it is my great privilege to have represented the good citizens of Pacifica for more than half of the city's existence. It has also been my great honor to assist the city in achieving many of its goals, most recently the construction of the $300 million Devil's Slide Tunnels transportation project. The natural beauty of Pacifica, with its lovely cool climate, delightful valleys and hills and most of all, its innovative, talented, active and wonderful residents, helps it stand out as one of my favorite places in the world. I invite my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in wishing the City of Pacifica and its inhabitants a Happy 50th Anniversary and a successful journey through the 21st Century.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I wish to recognize the achievements of a very special man within my home district in California. Russell Ewell, who has recently been honored with a Jefferson Award, is much deserving of the accolade, which spotlights outstanding public service. Mr. Ewell brought the community E-Soccer, a unique athletic outreach program affiliated with the Hope Technology School, where his wife is the Executive Director. The unqualified success of E-Soccer in bringing together typical and special needs children of all ages on a soccer field is a testament to Russ Ewell's visionary concept. Children are encouraged and enabled to develop skills, confidence and self-esteem through the sport of soccer. They also make lasting friendships. This wonderful program serves over 250 children on Saturday mornings in communities throughout the Bay Area. It is free and benefits from an all-volunteer staff. Showcasing the growing scope of E-Soccer is the fact that a team of nine coaches from the program recently visited Nairobi, Kenya, to train volunteers there on how to establish their own E-Soccer activities. There are plans for further outreach projects in other countries. Madam Speaker, Russell Ewell established the E-Soccer program in April 2000 specifically for children with special needs in Foster City. His inspiration came from his two sons with special needs. Their younger sister, Jadyn, is not a special needs child. Russ wanted Jonathan, who has Down Syndrome, and Jordan, who is autistic, to be able to interact with typical children, benefiting from the athletic coordination practiced in soccer. He also wanted families with special needs children to have an opportunity to enjoy an athletic experience that is both positive and uplifting. To that end, he worked with soccer coaches, special needs educators and physical therapists on developing a program like no other; a sports program that doesn't isolate typical and special needs children, but integrates them seamlessly into group activities. Both communities benefit from the interaction. Russ has seen that success in his own children as well as the many families who have participated. What began with 5 children has grown into a blossoming effort with 250 young soccer players. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and appreciation that I bring Russell Ewell's E-Soccer program to the attention of my colleagues in the House of Representatives. He has created a shining example of how one man's idea can alter the lives of many for the better.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, on November 20, Dr. Otto von Habsburg--a man of courage and intellect and a great friend of the United States-- will celebrate his 95th birthday. I extend to him on this occasion my very warmest greetings. Although he and I come from the most different Central European backgrounds imaginable, we have become friends over the years and I hold him in the highest regard. Dr. von Habsburg, who is in every way an extraordinary human being, was born in 1912 into one of Europe's oldest and most distinguished royal families. He is the eldest son of Emperor Charles, the last Emperor of Austria and the last King of Hungary and Bohemia, and his wife, Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma. Although he has renounced all claims to the Austrian throne, Dr. von Habsburg retains the hereditary titles of Archduke and Crown Prince of Austria and Crown Prince of Hungary and Bohemia. Madam Speaker, I met Otto von Habsburg shortly after I was elected a Member of the Congress a quarter century ago. At that time, I was the chairman of the U.S. delegation which met twice a year with a delegation of the European Parliament. At the time Otto was a representative of Germany to the European Parliament, and the Ambassador of Austria brought him to meet me in my office in the Longworth Building. We both felt an immediate bond, and have maintained a cordial relationship ever since. We have met on numerous occasions in Brussels and Strasbourg, and we have met frequently here in the United States when he has visited our country. His son Gyorgy was married in Budapest in 1997, and my wife Annette and I attended their wedding in the Basilica of St. Stephen. Just a few years ago on his last visit to the United States, I was pleased to welcome and pay tribute to Dr. von Habsburg at a special meeting here in the United States Capitol. Madam Speaker, although he became Crown Prince of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia when he was just 4 years old when his father became Emperor, and he continues to hold a number of impressive noble titles, what truly distinguishes Otto von Habsburg is not who he was at birth, but who he became in the course of his long and distinguished life. After growing up as an exile in Switzerland and Spain, the young Otto studied for his Ph.D. in political science at Belgium's famous Catholic University of Louvain. As an astute and principled conservative, he understood early on the true nature of the Nazi movement and became its staunch opponent. While doing research in Berlin in the early 1930s for his Ph.D. dissertation, Dr. von Habsburg was invited on two separate occasions to meet with Adolf Hitler, who for political reasons, sought to create the appearance of an association between himself and the heir to the Austrian and Hungarian thrones. ``I had the great advantage of having already read Mein Kampf from start to finish and knew what his plans were,'' Dr. von Habsburg later recalled. ``All of this only reinforced my refusal to meet him. On the other hand, it would have been an interesting experience. In fact, this was the only interesting conversation I ever avoided in my life.'' In the immediate aftermath of the fall of France to the Nazi armies, Dr. von Habsburg worked with Aristide de Sousa Mendes, the Portuguese consul in Bordeaux, to secure travel papers for an estimated 20,000 Jews and others liable to be persecuted by the Nazis. For his trouble, he was sentenced to death by the Nazis. Fortunately, it was in absentia--Dr. von Habsburg had escaped from Europe in the nick of time and spent the war years here in the United States. After the war, he returned to Europe, where he became a leader of the Paneuropean Union, served for 20 years as a member of the European Parliament and emerged as a champion of human rights. He was famous for, among many other things, ensuring that there was always an empty chair inside the Parliament building as a symbol of the European nations that were dominated at that time by totalitarian and illiberal ideologies. Dr. von Habsburg, who is the author of 27 books in 7 languages, is a passionate supporter of freedom and liberty and an unblinking opponent of racism and totalitarianism. I salute him as he celebrates his 95th birthday, and I thank him for all the good that he has done in this world.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I would like to call the attention of my colleagues in the Congress to a ceremony that was held on November 1 at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes Remembrance Authority in Jerusalem. This ceremony, which recognized the unique role that Albanians played in saving every Jew who either lived in Albania or sought asylum there during World War II, marking the opening of ``Besa: A Code of Honor/Albanians who Rescued Jews during the Holocaust.'' This exhibit by Jewish American photographer Norman Gershman documents the heroism of the rescuers and their families--65 percent of whom were Muslim--who saved more than 2,000 Jews from the ravages of the Nazi Holocaust. Few people are aware that all Jews who lived in Albania during World War II or sought asylum there were saved from likely death during the Holocaust. Approximately 200 Jews lived in Albania during the early 1930s, while nearly 2000 Jews resided there by the end of the war-- making Albania the only nation that can claim that every Jew within its borders was rescued from the Holocaust. When the Italian fascists invaded Albania in 1939, followed by the German Nazis in 1943, the Albanian population hid Jews; furthermore, Albanian government officials refused to comply with the order to provide a list of Jews living in Albania. While many Albanian citizens hid Jews on their own initiative, the rescue operation became more coordinated as the danger increased and ``national liberation councils'' in towns where Jews were hiding moved them from place to place--either with false passports or disguised as Albanian peasants. Albanians living in Kosova, Macedonia, and Montenegro, then part of the former Yugoslavia, were instrumental in gaining safe passage for Jews into Albania. Not only were the Albanians isolated from centuries of institutionalized anti-Semitism, Madam Speaker, but they also have a history of religious tolerance based on the Kanun (a set of customary laws developed in the 15th century and passed down through the generations). Its underpinning moral code of besa, which is celebrated in the Yad Vashem photo exhibition, emphasizes a sacred promise to keep one's word as well as to provide hospitality and protection. As the Western concept of ``foreigner'' does not exist within the Kanun, Albanians did not see Jews as ``foreigners'' but rather as ``guests'' who needed to be protected even at great risk to their hosts. Information about the safe haven that many Albanians provided to Jews who were being persecuted during the Holocaust was suppressed by the communist regime of Enver Hoxha, who controlled the country for five decades. When former Congressman Joe DioGuardi and I became the first U.S. officials in 1990 to enter Albania in 45 years, Albania's new leader, Ramiz Alia, showed us never-before-seen archives with letters, photographs and newspaper clippings about Albanians who saved Jews during World War II. Congressman DioGuardi sent this material to Israel, where the documents were authenticated by Yad Vashem. In cooperation with former Congressman Ben Gilman and the Albanian American Foundation, Albania was added to the ``Righteous among nations'' section of the U.S. Memorial Holocaust Museum in 1995. The Yad Vashem exhibit was created with the help of the Albanian American Civic League and financial support from the Righteous Persons Foundation, the Jewish Communal Fund, the New York State Department of Education, the McBride Family Foundation, and the Albanian American Foundation. It will be on display for two months at Yad Vashem before traveling to museums and Holocaust memorial sites around the world. It will be displayed on January 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. Madam Speaker, as a Holocaust survivor who survived certain death due to the kindness of strangers, I am immensely grateful to the Albanian people for their bravery, selflessness and generosity in risking their lives to hide and protect so many Jews during one of the world's darkest hours. I am delighted that this exhibition is finally giving Albania the recognition it deserves for the vitally important role its citizens played during World War II. I am grateful to my former colleague and friend Joe DioGuardi and the Albanian American Civic League for their efforts in ensuring that this information becomes publicly available. Madam Speaker, I wish to formally recognize the opening of this remarkable memorial and encourage all of my colleagues to visit it where possible.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I would like to call the attention of my colleagues in the Congress to a highly successful meeting of the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue (TLD) that was held in Las Vegas from October 5-8, 2007. The United States delegation is currently benefiting from the excellent leadership of Chairwoman Shelley Berkley, the gentlelady from Nevada. She worked tirelessly to make this meeting a great success and introduced her European guests to the fine city of Las Vegas that she represents. Chairwoman Berkley first became a member of the TLD in April 2006, served as its vice-chair in December 2006, and took the reins during the new Congress in 2007. She has long been an advocate for transatlantic relations. She is ably joined by her Republican vice- chairman, Representative Cliff Stearns from Florida, who also has a history of European engagement. The TLD constitutes the formal response of the European Parliament and the U.S. Congress to the commitment in the New Transatlantic Agenda (NTA) of 1995 to enhance parliamentary ties between the European Union and the United States. Building on the existing interparliamentary relationship, the TLD includes bi-annual meetings between American and European legislators that address topics of mutual interest with a view to fostering an ongoing dialogue and enhancing the level of transatlantic discourse. The most recent session in Nevada focused on a wide range of foreign policy challenges, including the Middle East, Kosovo, Russia, and China. Another session focused on regulatory initiatives being addressed under the auspices of the newly established Transatlantic Economic Council in which legislators are involved for the first time in administration discussions regarding more effective regulation. I particularly welcomed Representative Berkley's initiative to place anti-Semitism on the TLD agenda for the first time ever, as this issue must be seriously addressed by legislators on both sides of the Atlantic. The delegates also discussed the growing challenge of climate change. In addition, Representative Berkley showed her European counterparts a wide range of issues facing her constituency, bringing the delegation to Nellis Air Force Base to view military training facilities and arranging a briefing on Department of Energy plans to establish a safe repository for nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain. I commend Chairwoman Berkley for the energy that she has brought to the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue, as well as the outstanding job she did organizing a productive and informative session in Nevada. Her attention to detail was remarkable as were her efforts to be a hospitable and thoughtful hostess, including inviting European consuls to attend evening events and renowned speakers to make opening remarks during meeting sessions. Chairwoman Berkley is an excellent ambassador of American goodwill towards the European Union, and I am deeply grateful for the outstanding work she has done as leader of the American delegation of the TLD. Madam Speaker, I would like to enter into the Congressional Record the joint statement that was agreed upon by American and European legislators at the 63rd meeting of the TLD in Las Vegas. It highlights the rich agenda of this meeting, as well as the numerous areas in which there was strong agreement across the Atlantic. Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue 63rd Meeting of Delegations From the United States and the European Parliament--Joint Statement We, Members of the European Parliament and the United States House of Representatives, held our 63rd interparliamentary meeting (Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue) in Las Vegas, Nevada on 5-8 October 2007. Building on the joint statement issued following our last meeting in Charleston on 1-3 December 2006, we stressed the importance of regular dialogue on a range of political, social and economic issues that affect all of our citizens. We agreed to report back to our parent bodies on the content and outcome of our discussions, particularly in the areas where joint efforts are likely to result in positive outcomes. We agreed that legislators on both sides of the Atlantic should increase dialogue and consultation amongst themselves in order to prevent possible conflicts of legislation. Direct and timely contacts between specialist committees from Congress and the European Parliament--such as those that have occurred in recent months within the TLD framework--have been valuable means of enhancing cooperation; the exchange of information should be continued and enhanced. The European delegation welcomed the invitation from the U.S. House Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture to discuss agricultural issues and organic farming in greater detail. We examined a wide array of foreign policy issues, agreeing that joint action by the United States and the European Union is the most effective way to approach problems that affect both sides ofthe Atlantic. We had a stimulating discussion led by Ambassador Dennis Ross on the myriad of challenges in the Middle East, particularly regarding the nuclear threat posed by Iran and efforts to further the peace process in the region. We discussed the future status of Kosovo, including the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Balkans. We expressed concerns about worrying developments in Russia's domestic and foreign policies and agreed to discuss these issues in greater detail at our next session. We assessed our economic and political relations with China, emphasizing the importance of toy and product safety as well as the need for transparency in China's financial and business practices. In particular, we called on China to play a greater role in promoting a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict and particularly to the current violent crackdown in Burma. We also called upon China to assist in solving the horrific humanitarian crisis in Darfur. During the dialogue we explored the current status of anti- Semitism, anti-discrimination, race hate and civil liberties in the United States and Europe. Abe Foxman of the Anti- Defamation League provided an overview of the current situation. We agreed to continue our open discussion about these issues at future meetings as well as to address them within the United States and EU Member States. We discussed climate change following an informative presentation by Michael Totten of Conservation International. We agreed to continue exchanging strategies for combating the environmental challenges confronting our planet. We also: 1. had a briefing at Nellis Air Force Base and visited the facility designated for training American and coalition military personnel; we also saw a presentation about the Thunderbird pilots and viewed the F-22 fighter plane. 2. heard a briefing by the United States Department of Energy regarding its plans to establish a safe repository for nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain as well as concerns summarized by the Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects. We welcomed the establishment of a Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) at the April 2007 EU-US Summit. We agreed that the TEC initiative should be characterized by transparency and consultation of stakeholders: legislators, consumers, and producers should be informed in a comprehensive and timely manner by the EU and US executive bodies on the advancement of activities as well as the definition of priorities for future work. The establishment of the `advisory group' to the TEC, which includes the leaders of the three dialogues constituted under the New Transatlantic Agenda, is an important step in this direction. Furthermore, we believe that awareness of the transatlantic impact of proposed legislation and regulation should be developed in the relevant legislative and regulatory bodies. Our discussions focused on a range of regulatory issues that will affect legislators in the United States and the European Union. With regard to priorities for future activities within the TEC, the TLD welcomed progress on items contained in the list of `lighthouse projects' and related initiatives included in the 2007 Summit declaration. In particular, we developed a series of recommendations that we agreed should be taken into account during the TEC's first meeting on 9 November 2007: With regard to accounting standards, efforts should be made to reach agreement on the equivalence of US GAAP and IFRS (as implemented by the EU) in order to avoid requirements for reconciliation. Important progress registered in recent discussions between regulators needs to be finalized as soon as possible. With regard to trade and cargo security, achieving reciprocity and mutual recognition of security standards is of the utmost importance. We recognized concerns about the recently-passed U.S. legislation requiring 100 per cent cargo scanning. With regard to intellectual property, a commitment is needed to harmonize the different patent regimes on the basis of the `first-to-file' system. With regard to investment, obstacles to bilateral investment should be addressed via an operative dialogue. With regard to biofuels, developing compatible specifications between the EU and U.S. is a clear priority, particularly in view of achieving wider international harmonization at International Standards Organization (ISO) level. With regard to the safety of toys and other products, recognizing that it represents a major concern to consumers on both sides of the Atlantic, improvements should be discussed between regulators and complementary standards should be developed. Both sides renewed their commitment to make the TLD's work more relevant to the United States House of Representatives and to the European Parliament. In so doing, we resolved to provide the TLD with the required resources to improve the effectiveness of our dialogue and realize the full potential of our interparliamentary relationship.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of reauthorizing a program that has proven to be crucial to the lives of children across the Nation. The State Children's Health Insurance Program--or SCHIP, as it is known--provides access to health care for 6.6 million children. Through bipartisan efforts, Congress is trying to expand eligibility to nearly 4 million additional underserved and uninsured kids, but the President a few weeks ago decided to ignore the will of the people and veto the bill to renew this popular, worthy and socially responsible program. I can't overstate how extraordinarily troubling this veto is. Rather than spending the $3.50 a day it would cost to provide health insurance for these children, the President instead has cynically claimed the mantle of fiscal responsibility. Had he not already presided over the largest increase in government spending since the New Deal, this claim might not ring as hollow as it sounds. Let's be clear: the President has chosen insurers and tobacco companies over the well-being of more than 10 million children and their families. This is the wrong issue and the wrong time to pander to business interests. Madam Speaker, it is unconscionable that American families must choose between buying a warm coat for the winter and having their children immunized. No American families should have to choose between putting food on the table and getting a life-saving operation for their son or daughter. We go back to our respective districts and meet the people who are forced to make these sorts of decisions on a daily basis. We feel and see the utter insanity of vetoing $3.50 a day for health coverage for our neediest children. As members of the House of Representatives, we speak directly for the American people and we come to the floor to vote with their hopes and wishes foremost in our minds. Each day that we fail to provide basic health care to kids, is a day we have failed as leaders. Congress is The People's House, and we have a duty to represent the needs of the American people, not of multi-billion dollar international insurance companies. This administration has sided with big business too many times and at too heavy a cost to the little guy. Republican President Calvin Coolidge once said, ``The business of America is business,'' and it seems that the current President agrees with him. I say that this Congress' business is the people's business. I urge my colleagues to override the President's veto and allow an entire generation of America's children to grow up healthy.

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I never speak for the whole committee, only for myself, but this is an exception. Jo Ann Davis was respected and admired across the total political spectrum, and as I was listening to my colleagues paying tribute to this extraordinary woman, to this remarkable Member of Congress, to this unique public servant, I, of course, agreed with everything they said. But there is one aspect of Jo Ann's life that has not yet been mentioned, and that is what I would like to address. She loved her district, she loved the State of Virginia, but she was also one of the great Atlantises in this body. She was passionately committed to rebuilding the alliance between Europe and the United States, and she did an extraordinary job over a long period of time successfully doing this. My predecessor, Henry Hyde, and I had many conversations about her little-noticed, but enormously important, work on behalf of our effective foreign policy, on behalf of rebuilding so many of the ties that over the years had been weakened by a variety of actions. Jo Ann will be missed in all of her endeavors, but those of us on the Foreign Affairs Committee will particularly miss her enormous contribution to building alliances for the United States, for being a multilateralist, for recognizing that while we may be the one remaining superpower, we are a superpower in need of allies and friends and collaborators. I want to express my deepest condolences to her family and I want to express on behalf of all of my colleagues on the Foreign Affairs Committee our respect, our admiration and our love for our dear colleague Jo Ann Davis.

Mr. LANTOS

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

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, before yielding back our time, I would like to make mention of a visit I had yesterday afternoon from the ambassador of China on the subject of Burma. We had a long and difficult discussion. The Chinese Ambassador outlined for me the various steps his government has taken in recent days to deal with the crisis in Burma. I pointed out to him that gestures are not enough, that with the enormous leverage China has over Burma, China must take serious, substantive measures to compel the Government of Burma to give back the freedom to its own people and her freedom to Aung San Suu Kyi, the legally elected leader of Burma. I call on the Government of China, just a few months short of the opening of the Beijing Olympics, to do the right thing, to exert its enormous influence on behalf of the people of Darfur, on behalf of the people of Burma, and by inviting His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, for a dialogue in Beijing. Nothing would make the climate for the opening of the Beijing Olympics more positive and salutary than a serious dialogue between the Government of China and the Dalai Lama. There have been so many negative developments from China's point of view in recent times: the selling of food, the selling of tooth paste, the selling of children's toys, all of them dangerous to consumers in this country. There is a deep concern here that China's insatiable appetite for raw materials closes their eyes and minds to human rights violations across the globe, from Darfur to Burma. This is a glorious opportunity for the government in China to do the right thing, and to do the right thing vis-a-vis Burma is to put pressure on the military junta to ease up on the Burmese people and to give Aung San Suu Kyi her right to live in freedom as the elected leader of the Burmese people.

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

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to our distinguished colleague from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, before yielding to our distinguished Speaker, I would like to say a word comparing our Speaker to the subject of this resolution, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. These are two extraordinary women of deep courage and commitment, but there is one profound difference in their political lives: when Members of this body elected Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of this House, she assumed that position. When the people of Burma elected Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to serve as their Prime Minister, she was subjected to onerous imprisonment and persecution for almost two decades. It gives me a great deal of pleasure and pride to yield such time as she may consume to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, an indefatigable fighter for human rights and the champion of a fellow woman political leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 200) expressing the sense of Congress regarding the immediate and unconditional release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as amended.

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

Mr. LANTOS

Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the most successful participants in a U.S. sponsored program for former gang members, who was brutally murdered in the prime of his life. On September 17 in Guatemala City, Daniel de Jesus Ochoa Vasquez was shopping with his wife when unknown assailants came from behind and shot him in the head, killing him instantly. Five years ago, Daniel Ochoa sought refuge at a home for at-risk youth run by the Alliance for the Prevention of Crime, an initiative begun with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID. He left his gang, and soon graduated to teaching other at-risk youth the baking skills he had learned there, thus gaining the nickname ``Panadero,'' or ``Baker''. Like many of the estimated 14,000 youths involved in gangs in Guatemala, Daniel Ochoa grew up in poverty, and lacked family support and educational or economic opportunities. He soon turned to gangs for social support, a source of livelihood, and protection. His father abandoned his family when his mother was pregnant with their third child; he grew up in a neighborhood without potable water or electricity; dropped out of school after the fourth grade to work full time as a bricklayer's assistant at age 11. By age 13 he joined the M18 gang. In the 5 years he spent in the gang, he landed in prison 12 times, turning 18 in a jail cell. He explained that his last time in jail scared him enough that he decided to leave the gang. Many gang members who decide to leave their past life behind take refuge in a church; Daniel left on his own accord, at considerable risk to himself. Last year Daniel was selected as 1 of the 10 members of the ``Desafio 10: Paz para los Ex'' (``Challenge 10: Peace for Ex Gang Members'') reality TV show, a program through which USAID and the Guatemalan private sector helped former gang members find new ways to make a living. With ongoing support from USAID's Youth Alliance program, ``Panadero'' established and ran a successful shoe repair and shine business in which he took great pride. He had gone back to school and planned to attend college with the money he earned from his shop. He impressed many people with his honesty, hard work, and courage. Daniel provided authentic testimony that it is possible for a young man to turn his life around if he has the will and is given an opportunity. He gladly shared his story with such visitors in the hope that other youths would continue to be given such opportunities for a new life, and that USAID and other donor agencies would continue to reach out to at-risk youth. As one of those who worked with him said, ``Through his example `Panadero' has confirmed the value of working with youths who have abandoned gangs and decided to take a new path in life.'' Daniel's finest hour was his trip last May to Washington to address a group of business leaders and policymakers, including Guatemala's Vice President Eduardo Stein, at the Guatemalan Embassy. With the help of the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala, Daniel obtained a last minute Department of Homeland Security waiver to allow him a visa to travel. Daniel's talk motivated the Guatemalan Embassy to begin to raise funds for a tattoo removal project. Daniel may have been killed because he was mistaken for a gang member: a possibility, because of the tattoos on his hands and neck, which he had hoped to have removed. Daniel once said that he did not want to be just ``a former gang member,'' and he achieved that goal. A week before his death, Daniel volunteered as an election observer with Mirador Electoral, a Guatemalan civic coalition that monitors elections. Mirador Electoral has demanded an investigation into his death. He showed that an ``ex'' can be an active as well as law-abiding citizen. He sought a better life not just for himself and his family, but also for Guatemala. Daniel Ochoa was not only a rehabilitated ex-gang member; he was a rehabilitated human being.